Return of the Gamers : Attack on Final Fantasy VII
by Chi Mousey
Summary: Quick hide, it's Chi, Hotaru, and Jaheira in their lastest attack on video games. Making their debut in Kingdom Hearts the three girls will once again be sucked into the gaming world, the world of Final Fantasy VII.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters. Those that I do own will be posted as they appear.

Characters I and my friends own:

Chi (me)

Hotaru

Jaheira

Note: These three characters made their first debut in a Kingdom Hearts fic that my friends and I wrote. It isn't completed, but I'm tying to get my friend Hotaru to post the chapters she has. There is a certain other Final Fantasy character that will be added in one of the up-coming chapters. The relationship between the three amigas, I'll just refer to the three characters Chi, Hotaru, and Jaheira, as this, and this other character started in the Kingdom Hearts fic. Just to let you know, the three amigas drove this other character crazy, but this other character still liked them enough to save them from time to time.

Hotaru: We're Back!

Chi: evil laugh

Jaheira: Not again!

Return of the Gamers : Attack on Final Fantasy VII

Chapter 1

"The world-spanning Shinra Electric Company is ruling with an iron fist." Chi pounded the table for dramatic reasons. "The rich get richer while the poor are doomed to empty lives in the shadow of their giant city, Midgar. Those who oppose are killed by their army or captured by their black ops department."

Hotaru interrupted snatching the game from Chi's hands. "Enter AVALANCHE, a resistance group founded against the Shinra's evil ways and branded as terrorists by their propaganda. They believe that the reactors the Shinra have all over the world are sucking the very life out of the planet, and they are on a mission to destroy. Their new recruit, an ex-Shinra from their military group SOLDIER, will help tip the balance of power."

"Elsewhere, there have been increased sightings of Shinra's elite combat specialist, Sephiroth. Presumed dead many years ago, this is somewhat disturbing for the company, and they can only hope that he is still on their side." Jaheira stated with a look of aw at the character description of Sephiroth.

"Whoa!" Chi and Hotaru shouted shocked. They stared at Jaheira.

"Since when have you been into Final Fantasy VII?" Hotaru questioned, Chi was petrified.

"Since I learned that Sephy had totally awesome fighting skills," Jaheira laughed at their looks.

"Sephy?" Hotaru and Chi exchanged scared looks. They used Sephy as a nickname for Sephiroth, but never before had they heard Jaheira using a nickname, not even for Riku.

"Okaaaaay," Chi said slowly taking the game from Jaheira's fingers. "Anyways, I was going to show you the scene where Aeris dies."

"Not again, Chi you and Hotaru really need to get over the whole game faze." Jaheira stated preparing to watch Chi's favorite scene in FFVII for the billionth time. "First it was Kingdom Hearts, and now this. I'm dreading the day Kingdom Hearts II comes out."

"Well, you won't have to dread long," Hotaru smiled. "It's coming out in March, that's a fact."

"And we've got it on reserve!" Chi and Hotaru giggled as Jaheira smashed her head into a pillow. "Oh, and guess what. I'm dressing as the Kingdom Hearts II Riku and Hotaru is dressing as the Kingdom Hearts II Sora!"

Chi and Hotaru rambled on about the up coming Kingdom Hearts II as the game loaded. Ignoring the brief skip in the disk the two fan girls giggled as they repeated Cloud and Sephy's lines that were to be said. Jaheira moaned and buried her head deeper.

"Hey Hotaru, lately my game has been freezing right before Sephy comes and kills Aeris." Chi said praying it wouldn't happen again.

"Did you ever think that it had something to do with your first disk being white and the other two being silver?" Chi pondered with a blank look on her face. Hotaru sighed and grabbed the controller. "Let me try it."

"No," Chi pulled back. "Remember last time you messed with a PS2?"

"Oh come on," she pouted, "I just want to make Cloud run in circles."

"No!"

"Yes!"

The tug of war continued until Cloud finally made it up to Aeris. The screen froze.

"Great, now look what you did." Chi screamed smacking the restart button with her toe, she still wouldn't let go of the controller.

"Hey Chi, I'm gonna get Wiz out, okay." Jaheira said looking at the lop-eared bunny that was named after Dark's familiar in DNAngel, Chi has a Dark obsession as well as many others.

"Sure, just don't let him chew on anything." Chi said in a stare down with Hotaru.

Jaheira set him down to roam around while Hotaru and Chi commenced in wrestling over the controller. Jaheira laughed as Chi fell off the couch and Hotaru won control over the controller. Just then a squeak sounded and the screen went completely black.

"What you'd do!" Chi screamed hugging her TV. "My poor baby!"

"I didn't do anything!" Hotaru screamed.

Jaheira shrugged. "For once, she's right. Wiz just nibbled on your controller cable."

"WIZ!" Chi glared at the bunny, putting him safely back in his cage. "You could get hurt doing that."

"Hey Chi, come look at this!" Hotaru and Jaheira screamed.

Sephiroth was on the screen singing 'Come on over'

"Come on over, come on over baby. Come on over, come on over baby…" Sephy smiled motioning with his hand. "Come on over, come on over baby…."

"Weird, I don't remember that being in the game." Chi said frowning.

Hotaru shook her head, "No mention of this in the guide book."

"Hey guys, what is that he's holding?" Chi asked wide eyed.

"Sleeping gas." Jaheira stated.

"SLEEPING GAS!"

End of Chapter 1

Chi: The bit with my game freezing right before Sephy killed Aeris really did happen. It also was because I had one white disc and two silver discs, two different versions of the game. (Oh, and my rabbit Wiz really did chew on my controller wire. I taped it up and it still works.)

Hotaru: If it weren't for me, Chi wouldn't have probably even given thought about the different colors of her discs and she would have never gotten to see Aeris die.

Jaheira: Yeah, that sounds like something Chi would do. Look at scratches and not even notice the different colors.

Chi: Hey, are you saying I'm stupid!

Jaheira and Hotaru: No, just SPECIAL! (Chi nods, that's true hehe-Herbert)

Chi: Oh Yeah, the real Hotaru and I actually did the Kingdom Hearts II dress up thing when we went to buy our copies. The GameStop people looked and laughed with us. They know us pretty well down here.

Hotaru: whispers to readers Chi really is like this in real life, not joking.

Chi: Like what? Oh well, shrugs, if ya hang in there just a bit longer I'll get to the FFVII part.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters. Those that I do own will be posted as they appear.

Characters I and my friends own:

Chi (me)

Hotaru

Jaheira

Hotaru: Hey there's a new character brought in, try and guess who it is.

Jaheira: Oh no, not that poor…

Chi and Hotaru: Yep.

Chapter 2 

"Hey Reno…yes…no…"

"Ow!" Jaheira sat up rubbing her face. "You slap me again and I'll…" Jaheira looked over at Hotaru, she was fast asleep. Jaheira got an idea. "Hey Hotaru, Reno loves Rude."

"NO HE DOESN'T!" Hotaru yelled sitting up.

Hotaru blinked, clearing her vision. "Good now that you're awake I can give you this."

"Hey!" Hotaru rubbed her cheek. "What was that for?"

"For dreaming about Reno," Jaheira stated flatly.

"Oh yeah," Hotaru's eyes glazed over.

Movement caught their attention and they noticed that Chi was still sleeping. AN evil smile spread across their faces.

Kneeling next to Chi they screamed, "Vincent's Dead!"

"WHAT!" Chi sat up so quickly that the three girls bonked heads and fell back down. Chi recovered first. "What about Vincent! Is he here!" Chi glanced around wildly.

"No." Hotaru stated rubbing her head.

"Did anyone ever tell you two that you've got hard heads?" Jaheira mumbled.

"Yeah, lots!" Hotaru and Chi replied.

Jaheira rolled her eyes. "Does anyone know where we are?"

Hotaru smiled proudly, "Yeah, in a dark room."

"I could see that."

The three girls stood up as lights switched on revealing a blue background.

"You know…" Chi stammered.

"…this looks awfully like…" Hotaru continued.

"…a name your character page." Jaheira finished.

Thumbnails of Final Fantasy VII characters popped up on the floor. A message flashed above their heads: Select a character you want to add to your party.

"I want Vincent!" Chi screamed stomping on his picture making a hologram of him pop up.

"No!" Hotaru shouted running to Reno's square. "I want Reno!"

"Yeah, well we need Sephy's fighting skills." Jaheira protested stomping over to his square.

The three girls yelled out Vincent, Reno, and Sephiroth til they confused the computer and the holograms molded into one. The message flashed: Thank you for your choice. The room went dark again and the girls fell into a dusty old box.

"That was weird." Hotaru said dusting her arms off. "This is gross."

"Yeah," Chi and Jaheira got up stretching and dusting off their clothes. "It got my skirts all dirty."

"SKIRT!"

Hotaru and Jaheira laughed. Chi was wearing a short skirted red dress with an over layer of black lace, black high heals, and she had on a red hat/veil with a black lace over layer.

"Shut up!" Chi shouted. "you two are in dresses too."

Hotaru and Jaheira looked down at their clothes. Hotaru was wearing a knee-length white dress with a red ribbon wrapped around the top. Red high heals to match the ribbon fit smugly to her feet. Jaheira was wearing a blue suit jacket and skirt with black polished shoes. A tie was closed tightly around a white shirt.

"Aw man," Jaheira couldn't stop laughing.

"Stop it!" Hotaru and Chi punched Jaheira and she fell over. "Cool." Hotaru and Chi cried looking at their hands.

"I have a gun!" Chi said firing random shots. One ricocheted and hit Hotaru, Jaheira ducked. "I'm sorry!"

Hotaru smiled. "I'm okay, look…" she took Chi's gun and shot her arm. The bullet bounced off. "I've got in visible armor!"

"Oooo." Chi said smacking Hotaru and injuring her own hand. "Soo…" Chi sucked on her fingers, "what…does…Jaheira…have?"

"I dunno." Hotaru said. "Jaheira, where'd you go?"

Chi screamed as her gun disappeared and Hotaru yelped as her shoes were yanked off.

"I've got Chi's gun and Hotaru's favorite picture of Reno." Jaheira gave an evil laugh.

"Give that back!" Chi and Hotaru screamed trying to snatch their things back as Jaheira reappeared, but she was too fast.

A distant screaming reached their ears too late as someone dropped down on top of them smashing the three back into the box.

"Get off!" the three of them shoved the person's butt off of them and out of the box.

"Ooof." They heard a thump and then a shuffling of feet.

"Jeeze." Hotaru said. "Just when we all got dusted off this guy comes along."

"Sorry about that." The man reached in and helped them up.

Jaheira looked up at him. "You know, you look pretty familiar."

"Yeah." Chi said. "If there was only a little more light."

"Wait…" the man paused. "Chi…Hotaru…Jaheira…?"

"Yes." They said in unison.

The man looked up, a small whistling echoed through the room.

"Look out!" the man jumped on the three as a sword landed where they had stood.

Jaheira sighed. "That was close."

The man stood up pulling the sword out of the destroyed box.

"Is that…" Chi started.

"A GUNBLADE!" Hotaru finished.

End of Chapter 2

Chi: So what do you think? I'm hoping you guys are liking it. I'm working on asking Hotaru if I can post her chapters up on Fanfiction so you can read the fic that started it all.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters. Those that I do own will be posted as they appear.

Characters I and my friends own:

Chi (me)

Hotaru

Jaheira

Chapter 3

Stars, many of them. The camera pans around to show one and then the next. A girl, with brown hair and a pink ribbon, fades onto the screen. Green embers float infront of her face. She stands, showing her pink dress and darker pink jacket, from her kneeling position in an alley and walks out into the street. The camera pans out to show the street and continues to climb until a large city comes into view. The wheels of a speeding train flash by and the camera zooms in on the streets again. Flashes of a train continue until the camera stays on the stopping train. A man by the name of Biggs leaps off the train and a guard runs over to him. Biggs throws the guard into the train. Jessie, a girl, leaps off next, kicking the other guard. A man named Wedge and a black man with a gun arm named Barret follow. Barret motions for another party member and a blonde spiky haired man back flips onto the platform.

"C'mon newcomer. Follow me." Barret said as he ran off.

Two soldiers ran toward the newbie and a battle commenced where he revealed his totally awesome fighting skills and his huge sword. The newbie ran over and joined the group at the edge of the platform.

"Wow!" Biggs exclaimed with a look of awe on his face. "You used to be in SOLDIER, huh? …Not everyday ya find one in a group like AVALANCHE."

Jessie turned to face the. "SOLDIER? Aren't they the enemy?" She looked at the newbie. "What's he doing with us in AVALANCHE?"

"He WAS in SOLDIER, Jesse. But he quit and is with us now." Biggs paused. "I didn't catch you name…"

"…Cloud." The newbie replied.

"Cloud, eh? I'm…" Biggs was interrupted.

Cloud shook his head. "I don't care what your names are. Once this job's over… I'm outta here."

Barret ran back to the group. "The hell you all doin'! I thought I told you never to move in a group! Our target's the North Mako Reactor. We'll meet on the bridge infront of it."

The door to the Maco reactor opened and they all entered. Barret stopped Cloud.

"Ex-SOLDIER, huh?" Barret shook his head. "I don't trust ya!" he finished as he ran on.

Cloud ran in and looked up at the large reactor infront of him. Wedge ran off to the left while the others ran to the reactor. Cloud ran over to Wedge.

"I'll secure our escape passage. You concentrate on the mission, Cloud." He looked up at the reactor. "Geez, we're really gonna blow this huge furnace up? This'll be somethin' to see!"

Cloud ran into the reactor to find the group standing in a control room. He ran over to them.

Barret called out to him. "Yo! This your first time in a reactor?"

"No. Afterall, I did work for Shinra, y'know." He replied flatly.

"The planet's full of Mako energy. People here use it everyday." Barret explained. Cloud shrugged and Barret continued angrily. "It's the life blood of this planet. But Shinra keeps suckin' the blood out with these weird machines."

Cloud crossed his arms. "I'm not here for a lecture. Let's just do it."

"Alright!" Barret retorted angrily. "You come with me from now on."

Cloud walked over to Jessie, Barret followed. "Biggs and I got the code for this door." She pointed to Biggs unlocking a door.

"Code deciphered." Biggs said as the door opened. Jessie went to go to work on the next door. "Think how many of our people risked their lives, just for this code…"

"Code deciphered." Jessie ran into the unlocked lift. Cloud follows, as well as Barret. "Push that button over there!" She pointed to a large button.

Cloud pushed the button which switches on the lift. They started to descend.

Barret continued his speech from before. "Little by little the reactors'll drain out all the life. Then that'll be that."

"It's not my problem." Cloud stated.

"The planet's dying, Cloud!" Barret shouted angrily.

Cloud ignored him. "The only thing I care about is finishin' this job before security and the Roboguards come."

Barret steamed while they climbed ladders and finally reached the reactor core. Barret and Cloud approached it.

"When we blow this place, it ain't gonna be nothin' more than a hunka junk." Barret said. "Cloud, you set the bomb."

Cloud looked at Barret. "Shouldn't you do it?"

"Jus' do it!" he said exasperated. "I gotta watch to make sure you don't pull nothin'."

Cloud rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll do it."

The lights turn red as a high-pitched whine is heard. Cloud collapsed. _Watch out! This isn't just a reactor!_ Cloud woke back up.

Barret walked over to him. "What's wrong?"

"Huh?" Cloud looked up.

"What's wrong, Cloud? Hurry it up!"

"… Yeah, sorry."

Cloud stood back up, walked over to the core, and kneeled down. As he set the bomb a siren is heard and everyone looks around. A giant Guard Scorpion jumped down blocking their path.

Barret yelled to Cloud. "Heads up, here it comes!"

The scorpion is defeated and Cloud called out to Barret. "Come on, let's get outta here!"

Ten minutes to detonation flashes on Cloud's timer. Cloud and Barret ascend the ladders and ran into Biggs who exclaimed that Jessie wasn't back yet. Cloud and Barret ran back to where they had last left Jessie and found her doubled over her foot.

Cloud kneeled down. "You all right?"

"My leg got stuck." Cloud helped her stand. "Thanks!"

Biggs ran up to them. "Let's Go!"

Meanwhile, with Hotaru, Chi, Jaheira, and the man…

"Wait a minute, Leon?" Jaheira shook her head. "Pour guy."

A seventeen year old Leon hung his head, "…Not again."

"Master!" Hotaru and Chi shouted smothering him with hugs.

Leon a.k.a. Squall a.k.a. Master a.k.a. Squally Wally just stood there.

(Where are we?) Leon thought to himself as he tried to shove the crazy girls off.

A blaring siren sounds as a red light blinks throughout the room.

"You know…" Chi said. "This room looks a lot like a factory storage room."

"How does that help us find out where we are?" Hotaru asked still clinging to Leon.

"Well, at the beginning of Final Fantasy VII Cloud had a mission to…" Chi's face drained white.

(Final Fantasy VII?) Leon thought.

"Hey Squally Wally…"

(Squally…Wally…..) his fingers twitched.

"…is it okay if we call you Squall?" Hotaru asked. "I mean you're wearing the same thing and you're the same age right now as you are in your Final Fantasy game."

(My…game?)

Hotaru was about to ask what was bothering Squall when Chi grabbed her arm. "We HAVE to get out of here!"

"…Why?" Jaheira asked suspiciously.

A voice came over the intercom. "Five seconds to detonation. Four, …"

"That's why!"

The four of them screamed running out of the room, but it was too late.

Back with Cloud.

Cloud followed by Jessie, Biggs, and Barret ran over to Wedge, Cloud's timer stopped. Jessie fell over, but Cloud rescued her just in time. The Mako reactor blew up and all of the city of Midgar is awakened.

"Hey, what's that?" Jessie asked pointing to four black dots coming at straight at them.

End of Chapter 3

Hotaru: How did we get Squall from Vincent, Reno, and Sephiroth?

Chi: Good question, maybe I'll explain later.

Jaheira: (Poor guy.) Still feeling sorry for Squall.

Note: Squall's nicknames all came from the Kingdom Hearts fic.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters. Those that I do own will be posted as they appear.

Characters I and my friends own:

Chi (me)

Hotaru

Jaheira

Chapter 4

"Ahhh!" Squall, Jaheira, Hotaru, and Chi screamed landing hard on the ground.

Sitting there charcoaled and hurting the four swayed back and forth, little chocobos running around their heads.

(Look at all the chocobos.) Squall thought, all four passed out.

"Alright." Barret turned back to his group. "Now let's get out of here."

"What about these four?" Wedge asked poking them with a stick.

Barret turned to Cloud, who shook his head.

"I ain't taking them." He replied folding his arms.

"Fine, we will. Rendezvous at the Sector 8 station! Split up and get on the train!"

Barret, Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge picked up one of the four and ran off. Cloud stopped Barret.

"H, hey!" Cloud started.

"If it's about your money, wait 'til we get back."

Cloud shook his head and ran into the nearest street. People were running about wildly, one of them knocked a flower girl over. Cloud went and helped her up. It's the girl from the beginning.

"Excuse me." She said as he was about to leave. "What happened?"

Cloud thought for a moment. "Nothing…" he didn't want to scare her. "Hey… Don't see many flowers around here."

"Oh, these?" she held up her flowers. "Do you like them? They're only one gil." Cloud handed her the gil. "Oh, thank you!" She smiled, taking a flower and giving it to Cloud. "Here you are!"

Cloud smiled and walked off. A random person ran up to him.

"Just what the hell's going on?" he ran off again.

Continuing on, Cloud overheard a man talking to himself. "Wonder what that is on the wall over there. Let's see… Don't be fooled by Shinra! Mako energy doesn't last forever! Mako is the planet's life source! The end is in sight! Protectors of the Planet: AVALANCHE."

Cloud moved on, entering the main street.

"Hey you there!" Two soldiers followed him.

Cloud looks back, "Shinra soldiers…"

Two more ran on and opened fire, Cloud dodged the bullets.

"That's him!" Three more soldiers entered on the left and another three entered on Cloud's right cornering him. "That's as far as you go!"

Cloud backed up onto a bridge. "I don't have time to mess with you guys."

"Enough babbling, GRAB HIM!"

"Later." Cloud leapt off the bridge onto a train which entered a tunnel.

Meanwhile….

"Cloud never came…" Wedge shook his head.

"Cloud…" Biggs sighed. "Think he was killed?"

"Of course not!" Chi and Hotaru walked in followed by Jaheira and Squall. "Sephy would never allow that…" Chi and Hotaru giggled.

"Still…" Biggs sighed.

"No way!" Barret cut him off before he could go any farther.

"Cloud…" Jessie looked out the window, tunnel lights flew by.

No one really noticed that the four strangers had woken up, let alone spoken. Realizing that they were being ignored they talked quietly amongst themselves. A thumping sounded and everyone looked up for a moment.

"Say, do you think Cloud's… going to stay on and fight for AVALANCHE?" Biggs asked silently praying he would.

"How the hell would I know? Do I look like a mind reader?" Barret hit a box. "Hmph! If ya'll weren't such screw-ups…"

Wedge, a little preoccupied, called to Barret. "Hey, Barret! What about our money?" Barret hit the box again. "Uh, nothin'… sorry. Ahhh…"

There was another thumping, they all looked up again, Chi and Hotaru smiled. Three more thumps and the door opened. Cloud swung in, shocking Barret. Everyone stood.

"Cloud!" Biggs and Wedge yelled.

"Cloud…" Jessie started, but was cut off when Chi and Hotaru pushed her aside.

Squall apologized for their rudeness.

"Looks like I'm a little late." Cloud dusted himself off.

"Cloud!" Hotaru and Chi ran up giving him a big huge. Squall looked stunned and then looked away, Jaheira took note. "Now the fun begins!"

"So, you're awake." Cloud said removing himself from their hug.

Jaheira and Squall came to stand next to them. Chi and Hotaru grabbed Squall's arms and he rolled his eyes.

"Who are you people?" Cloud asked crossing his arms.

"Well, I guess you wouldn't really reconigize us in skirts now would you?" Chi stared at their outfits distastefully. "I'm Chi!"

"And I'm Hotaru!"

"And we're…"

"Your worst nightmare." Squall stated matter-of-factly, Jaheira nodded.

Cloud noticed Squall and Jaheira and waved. "So we meet again Leon, Jaheira."

"Cloud." Squall and Jaheira nodded.

"Aw, sure you remember them!" Hotaru pouted.

"Sorry, it's just that they… you… the dresses…" Cloud stared at Hotaru and Chi's outfits. "…it's scary…"

Before Hotaru and Chi could say anything Squall spoke, "Hey Cloud, it's Squall for now… Chi can't remember Leon."

Everyone laughed.

"What?" Chi asked. "I don't get it…"

Barret didn't see amused. "You damn right, you're late! Come waltzin' in here makin' a big scene!"

Cloud's smile faded as he spoke to Barret. "It's no big scene. Just what I always do."

"Ain't that the truth." Hotaru whispered.

"…" Squall kept silent remembering Cloud's entrance in Kingdom Hearts.

Chi and Jaheira sniggered. "Riku battle…"

"Psst." Cloud whispered. "How's Riku?"

"He still wants a rematch." Jaheira stated smirking.

Barret cursed. "Havin' everyone worried like that. You don't give a damn 'bout no one but yourself!"

"Hmm…" Cloud raised an eyebrow. "You were worried about me?"

"Wha? That's comin' outta your share, hot shot!" Barret retorted angrily. "Wake up! We're movin' out! Follow me!" Barret left entering the next car.

Wedge got up. "Hey Cloud! You were great back there!" He headed after Barret.

Jessie followed. "Careful, I'll shut this." She shut the door behind Cloud.

"Heh, heh… Cloud." Biggs slapped his shoulder. "We'll do even better next time."

After Biggs leaves Jessie turned to Jaheira and the rest. "Aren't you gonna leave?"

"No." Chi said munching on some popcorn Hotaru had made.

"We wanna watch." Hotaru said while Jaheira stole the popcorn from Chi. Hotaru grabbed a handful. "It's a good thing we can still use magic."

Jessie shook her head turning to Cloud. "Oh, Cloud! Your face is pitch-black…" she cleans it for him. "There you go! Say," she blushed, "thanks for helping me back there at the reactor!" She leaves in a hurry, everyone else follows.

The engineer comes on over the intercom. "Last train out of Sector 8 Station. Last stop is Sector 7, Train Graveyard. Expected time of arrival is 12:23 AM Midgar standard time…"

Barret ran into a passenger carriage and scared two people off. He sat in their seats. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge follow.

"This is why I hate the last train. Hoo-boy…" a man shook his head and leaves. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge got comfy.

Cloud walked in followed by Jaheira, Hotaru, Chi, and Squall. Immediately Cloud tried to move to the next car.

"Please!" a man stops him. "Don't bother the other passengers."

Squall looked around and noticed a man lying down right next to him. Squall nudged him to make sure he was okay.

"Huh?" the man blinked. "This is my house, so make yourselves at home."

Hotaru came over and pulled Squall away from the man. "I advise not to talk to him Squally Wally, he's creepy."

"… Squally…" his eyebrow twitched as they sat down.

"You see the headlines in the Shinra times?" A man asked as Chi passed by. She shook her head as he folded his newspaper. "The terrorists that bombed the No.1 Reactor are based somewhere in the slums… Blowing up a Reactor… they sure put some thought into this one. They must have a real calculating leader." Chi cracked up falling to the floor. Jaheira came over to help her up.

"Stop actin' like a damn kid. Siddown and shuddup!" Barret yelled.

"I wonder what they'll do next?" the man asked.

"I know. They're gonna…." Wedge covered Chi's mouth while Jaheira commenced at yelling at Barret for giving her orders.

"Quiet!" he whispered dragging her off. "EW!"

Chi licked his fingers. "That's what you get for silencing me!" Chi ran over to Squall. "Master, I've got Wedge germs!"

Squall looked at Wedge who was running in circles screaming 'I've got Chi germs!' Squall handed her his hanky, telling her to keep it when she was done.

"Blech!" Chi pulled a white feather from her mouth. "Master, you've got feathers all over it."

Squall looked down at his feathery black leather jacket. (Oh, right. I forgot that I was wearing this.) He gave an inward smile, not a muscle moving on his face. (I love my Final Fantasy VIII clothes. I'm surprised that I can still wear these.)

"Us too Master." Hotaru said, Squall looked stunned, Hotaru sighed. "We already went over this, didn't we? Anyways, we know everything that's gonna happen, what you're gonna say, when you're…"

"I know." Squall hung his head. (I'm not even safe inside my mind.)

"Nope," Chi giggled.

(Poor guy.) Jaheira joined their little circle while Cloud walked over to Jessie.

Wedge was still running around in circles, Barret was trying to calm him down, while Biggs slept. Passengers looked on the strange group of companions. To them, half didn't even look like they were from this world, if they only knew how right they were. Cloud's mind wandered while Jessie spoke. As she was going on about using a map he snuck away to talk to Biggs.

"This train hasn't switched to security mode yet. I'm sure that will change by tomorrow." Biggs yawned. "That sure took a toll on me. I'm gonna sleep til we get to the station."

"Hey Cloud, where'd ya go?" Jessie turned around and he headed back.

A few moments later he slinked over to Wedge who had finally wiped off his hand and clamed down.

"Someday AVALANCHE'S gonna be famous… and me too!" he smiled. "Cloud! Don't ya think I got a bright future ahead of me?"

Cloud looked over at Hotaru and Chi for the answer, they shook their heads. "Don't hold your breath." He replied.

"Oh man, that's pretty harsh. Cloud. You really think I won't?" Wedge asked.

"…" Cloud left, sneaking unnoticed back into his conversation with Jessie.

"Alright, I have a question. Why are we here and how did he get here?" Jaheira pointed to Squall.

"Good question." Hotaru said. "I'm guessing that Sephy dragged us in. As for Squally Wally, I guess from when we were creating a character."

(How did they get me from Final Fantasy VII people?) Squall wondered.

"Well, Vincent knows a lot, but never tells you anything." Chi said.

"Reno has interesting thoughts and ideas." Erika added.

"And…" Jaheira started.

"We know. Sephy's got totally awesome fighting skills." Chi and Hotaru laughed, Jaheira smacked them.

(And how does that make me? Let alone make me 17 again.)

They all shrugged.

"…definitely look suspicious, so we're using fake IDs." Jessie finished.

A red alarm flashed in the train and everyone looked around.

"Speak of the devil… That light means that we're in the ID Security Check Area." She starts to whisper. "When the lights go off, you never know what kind of creeps'll come out."

"Yeah, us." Jaheira whispered.

"…We're almost back now. What a relief."

Cloud walked over to Barret finally free from Jessie. He sat down. "Look… you can see the surface now. This city don't have no day or night. If that plate weren't there… we could see the sky."

Cloud leaned on the chair to get a good look. "A floating city… Pretty unsettling scenery."

"Huh?" Barret stared at him. "Never expected ta hear that outta someone like you. …You jus' full of surprises." Barret got up walking around angrily. Chi and Hotaru moved their skirts out of his way. "The upper world… a city on a plate… It's cuz of that &#$# 'pizza' that people underneath are sufferin'! And the city below is full of polluted air. On top' a that, the Reactor keeps drainin' up all the energy."

"Then why doesn't everyone move onto the plate?" Cloud retorted back in his 'I don't care' mode.

Barret turned away. "Dunno. Probably 'cuz they ain't got no money. Or, maybe… 'Cuz they love their land, no matter how polluted it gets."

"I know…" Cloud sighed. "No one lives in the slums because they want to. It's like this train. It can't run anywhere except where its rails takes it."

The train spiraled down the pillar.

End of Chapter 4

Hotaru: Hey Chi, wouldn't we get dizzy on that train?

Chi: Hmm… good point. Never thought of that…

Jaheira: shakes her head


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters. Those that I do own will be posted as they appear.

Characters I and my friends own:

Chi (me)

Hotaru

Jaheira

Zero

Chapter 5

The train came to a stop and they all got off. Cloud went to talk to the porter. A girl and guy were huddled over by the lamppost.

Barret called out to the gang. "Yo! Get over here, all 'ya!" Cloud ignored him, still talking to the porter. "Yo, Cloud! You listen up!" Cloud walked over to Jaheira. The other three were off in a corner talking and a glint of fear came and went on Squall's face as an old pair of rusted handcuffs were brandished. "This mission was a success. But don't get lazy now. The hard part's still to come! Don't y'all be scared of that explosion! Cause the next one's gonna be bigger than that!" Barret began to leave. "Meet back at the hideout! Move out!"

Everyone but Cloud left. Chi, Hotaru, Jaheira, and Squall follow Cloud, heading past the lamppost couple.

"I'm not letting you go tonight." The man said. "Isn't there somewhere else we could go to be alone?"

"There only the train graveyard around here. And they say there's ghosts around too!" the girl shrieked.

"…damn."

"What?"

Cloud walked out into the main square.

"Too bad Master couldn't be here." Chi said.

"I am." Squall shuffled his feet.

"Not you Squally." Hotaru shook her head. "You might be Master…"

"… but you're not the REAL Master." Chi piped.

Squall looked hurt and Jaheira raised her eyebrow. "What she means is that she wishes that Zero were here."

"Zero?" Squall blanked his face. (…….)

"Yeah." Chi smiled.

Jaheira commenced in explaining who Zero was while slightly bragging on him. "Zero's nice and cool and…"

"Hey now! Oops!" Cloud had gone up to a man to talk. "What on earth are you doing? Just butt out… geeze! Huh? You came to see it, too? There was a bombing on top. If this pillar should come down, everyone in the slums is dust…" He shook his head at Cloud's shrug. "Well, there's no point in worryin' about that. Hey! Check it out! It's huge, ain't it?" Cloud looked up at the giant pillar. "Hey… this is a strange and wonderful place. This is my place, but you can come here when you want. See ya, bro!"

"Yo, Cloud! Over here, now!" Barret ran into a bar.

Gunshots are heard and four people ran out. They were being chased by Barret. Cloud entered the bar conversing with Squall, more like exchanging materia silently. Jaheira kept a close eye on Squall as Hotaru and Chi finally figured out how to open the door. A little girl jumped and ran over to the group.

"Papa!"

The girl noticed Cloud and ran back to the corner. The young woman standing behind the bar looked to see where the girl had gone then smiled. Saying her goodbyes to the man she had been conversing with, the woman walked over to Cloud. The man at the bar emptied his glass, rolling it around on the counter. His orange-red hair, held in a low ponytail, hung to the middle of his red kimono. A thorn whip was rolled up at his side and his wooden block shoes tapped noisily on the floor as he repeated checked the time.

"Marlene! Aren't you going to say anything to Cloud?" the woman came up to Cloud and Marlene hid behind her. "Welcome home, Cloud. Looks like everything went well. Did you fight with Barret?"

"Not this time." Cloud lied.

"Hmm." The woman smiled. "You've grown up. When you were little you used to get into fights at the drop of a hat." She noticed Cloud's flower. "Flowers? How nice… you almost never see them here in the slums. But… a flower for me? Oh Cloud, you shouldn't have…"

"… I didn't." Cloud said giving it to Marlene.

Marlene jumped and took it, returning to her safety behind the woman. "…" She kept silent as Cloud smiled at her.

The woman shook her head. "Sorry, Cloud. Marlene seems a little shy. Oh, and who's this?" She noticed Hotaru and Chi standing behind Squall and hissing and Jaheira killing a drunken Biggs in poker. "I'm Tifa."

"We know." Chi and Hotaru hissed.

"Squall, Hotaru, Chi, Jaheira." Squall said bluntly, pointing from one to the next.

"Finally." The man at the bar turned around. "Took you guys forever."

"…Zero?" Jaheira asked collecting her chips.

"In the flesh, or should I say RPG?" Zero laughed.

"Master!" Chi screamed pushing Squall aside and plowing over Tifa. "Master, it's really you!"

Chi hugged him as Hotaru and Jaheira walked over. Squall's mouth hung open temporarily, until Jaheira made a remark about him being jealous causing him to stomp over to the bar and order a drink. Tifa tended to him.

"Got an ID?" she asked grabbing a glass.

"Must be in my other pants." Squall retorted curtly.

"Sorry Squall, but I can't serve you unless I know you're twenty-one." Squall gave her a glare that could kill and walked over to where Zero sat. "So THIS is Master?"

"Sure is!" Chi said squeezing harder.

"…Too…tight…"

"Sorry Master." Chi let go.

"It's 'kay." Zero stood up patting her head. He was a head taller than Jaheira. "Oh, Rika, Jaheira, I have something for you. Chi, would you please go up to my room and get them?"

"Yes Sir!" Chi brought her hand up to her forehead and poked herself in the eye.

They turned to watch her run up the stairs breaking a vase one she was up. Tifa ran up screaming that she'd have to pay for that.

"Hey Hotaru," Cloud ignored Tifa who was crying because her only possession from Cloud was broken. "Who's Rika?"

"Hotaru?" Zero raised an eyebrow.

"It was before the whole Rika thin." Jaheira stated.

"Master," Chi had returned, "these them?"

Chi held a deadly looking set of numb-chucks and a giant crossbow. On the bottom of the crossbow, barely even noticeable, was a slot where tiny knives could be placed and shot at an oncoming target.

"Sure is." Zero took them, handing the numb-chucks to Hotaru and Jaheira the crossbow.

"Nice." Jaheira said examining the arrows' sharpness.

"Yay! Numb-chucks!" Hotaru spun them around her head nearly missing the ceiling light.

"So Master, how'd you get here?" Chi asked returning to Zero's side instantly.

Jaheira kept a close eye on Squall. His fists were clenched to tightly that his whole hand had turned white. His face showed no sign of emotion.

"I hacked my way in." He stated. Zero noticed Squall standing by Jaheira. "Squall, THE Squall Leonheart?" Zero shook his hand. "Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II, and Final Fantasy VIII, and not to mention DJ Sephiroth's A Requiem For A Final Fantasy. Name's Zero. You were the only character in FFVIII that I liked."

Squall shook his hand shocked. "… Uh, hi…"

"I wanna thank you for helping Hotaru, Chi, and Jaheira in Kingdom Hearts and COM. If it weren't for you, I might not have…" Zero wiped away a 'tear', "… meet them, in real life that is."

He gave Hotaru, Jaheira, and Chi a giant hug. Two girls standing in the doorway sighed.

"Why can't more men be like him?" one asked staring at Zero who flashed them a smile.

They giggled, stumbling over to a seat. Zero followed them, pulling out a deck of cards.

"Doesn't Zero have awesome hacking skills?" Jaheira asked bragging again.

Hotaru cracked a smile and Chi just cracked up. Jaheira looked at Squall evilly. Squall's anger had vanished, replaced by an air of smugness.

"Don't let your ego get too inflated." Jaheira retorted dryly. "You're still not the REAL Master."

Squall mumbled walking over to Cloud. Zero walked up to Jaheira, a Black Magician Girl in his hand.

"You just love to use blackmail against everyone, don't you?" he asked, and her smile got wider.

Cloud and Squall try to leave, but Barret crashes into the bar.

"Papa, welcome home!" Marlene screamed as he lifted her up onto his shoulder.

"Yeah." He said. "Huh? Where'd you get that flower?"

"Cloud gave it to me." Marlene answered.

"Oh... Did you thank him?"

"... Thank you, Cloud. We'll take care of you." Marlene smiled.

"You all right, Barret?" Tifa asked.

"Great!" He turned to Jessie, Wedge, and Biggs. "Get in here, fools! We're

startin' the meetin'!"

Barret descended into a hidden elevator in a pinball machine. Everyone followed him but Cloud, Zero and the rest, and Tifa. Cloud walked over to the bar.

"Sit down." Tifa said motioning to the stool. Cloud sat. "How about...something to drink?"

"Give me something hard." Cloud replied rubbing his head.

"Just a minute. I'll make one for you." Tifa said as she mixed Cloud a drink. "You know, I'm relieved you made it back safely." She handed Cloud his drink.

"What's with you all of a sudden? That wasn't even a tough job." Cloud smirked.

"I guess not..." Tifa sighed. "You were in SOLDIER." Cloud put his drink back down on the counter. "Make sure you get your pay from Barret." She said changing the subject.

"Don't worry. Once I get that money, I'm outta here." Cloud stood up from the bar, not even wobbly from the drink he'd just had.

"Cloud, are you feeling all right?" Tifa asked worriedly.

"...yeah... Why?"

"No reason. You just look a little tired I guess." Tifa shook her head. "You'd better go down below."

Cloud walked to the elevator in the pinball machine and went down. Jaheira and the rest followed. Everyone was busy downstairs. Barret was punching a bag.

"You think I'm a little too uptight?" Wedge asked Cloud as he passed by.

"Yeah..." Cloud replied.

"The next mission will be to blow up the Sector 5 Reactor. Cloud, you're great! Don't you ever get nervous?" He stared awe inspired at Cloud's puzzled look, as if to say what's nervousness? "Or are you like, impervious to feelings? Naw, that couldn't be it." Hotaru and Chi sniggered, they knew.

"Yo. Cloud! There's somethin' I wanna ask ya." Barret called him over. "Was there anyone from SOLDIER fighting us today?"

"None. I'm positive." Hotaru and the rest nodded, it would have been obvious if there had been.

"You sound pretty sure." Barret questioned his answer.

"If there was anyone from SOLDIER you wouldn't be standing here now." Cloud replied flatly.

"Don't go thinkin' you so bad jes cuz you was in SOLDIER."

"You don't get it man." Zero came up to Barret, Hotaru and the rest stayed close behind. "SOLDIERs are the special elite, they wouldn't be dispatched to stop a bunch of weak rebels."

"..." Even Squall agreed with that. Cloud nodded.

Barret just ignored Zero. "Yeah, you're strong. Probably all them guys in SOLDIER are." Chi and the rest gave a collective 'DUH!' "But don't forget your skinny ass's working for AVALANCHE now! Don't get no ideas 'bout hangin' on to Shinra."

"Stayin' with Shinra?" Cloud got a glazed hurt look in his eye. It vanished quick enough. "You asked me a question and I answered it... that's all. I'm going upstairs. I want to talk about my money."

"Now look what you did!" Hotaru snapped.

"Yeah, making Cloud remember stupid Shinra!" Chi growled.

"We miss…" the name was muffled through tears.

Zero and Jaheira patted them on the back. "There, there girls."

Cloud moved to leave and Tifa ran in. "Wait, Cloud!"

"Tifa! Let him go!" Barret yelled. "Looks like he still misses the Shinra!"

"Shut up!" Cloud screamed losing his cool. Squall and the rest came to stand behind Cloud, supporting him in their silence. Chi and Hotaru patted his arm, he couldn't figure out why, but a wave of sadness engulfed him. "I don't care about either Shinra or SOLDIER! But don't get me wrong! I don't care about AVALANCHE or the Planet for that matter!"

"...Cloud." Wedge said when Cloud stalked past him with the silent crew, Squall, Zero, Jaheira, Hotaru, and Chi, in tow. "You say you don't care, but you came to talk to me. Cloud... you just want friends. Isn't that right?"

"Blow off." Cloud said as the sadness returned.

"Yeah, well. You look kind of lonely to me. If you ever got anything you want to get off your chest, you can always talk to me." Wedge left it as that.

Cloud and crew went back up the elevator and tried to leave. Tifa stops him yet again.

"Listen, Cloud. I'm asking you. Please join us."

"Sorry Tifa..." Cloud shook his head and Hotaru and Chi stuck out their tongues.

"The Planet is dying. Slowly but surely it's dying." Tifa cried. "Someone has to do something."

"So let Barret and his buddies do something about it." Cloud retorted back in his usual mood. "It's got nothin' to do with me."

Cloud moved to leave. "So! You're really leaving?" Tifa cried. "You're just going to walk right out ignoring your childhood friend?"

"Yup." Jaheira stated, already annoyed by Tifa's constant pleading.

"What...? ...Sorry."

"You forgot the promise, too." Tifa sighed."

"Promise?"

"So you DID forget."

"Haha!" Chi laughed.

"Remember... Cloud. It was seven years ago..."

Cloud looked up at her. Everything faded to black.

End ofChapter 5

Chi: Woot that was the last chapter I have typed so far. I'm working on the 6th one so give me some time 'kay? I'll try my best to hurry and finish it!


End file.
